"With all of that history with the man just passing away, and it's the first fight on CBS since him and Spinks fought there and it's crazy because we go to the same church as Leon Spinks. We've been going to the same church with Leon out here for 3 years. So it's amazing to be in this position and on that network and be the first fight since Leon Spinks and Muhammad Ali fought is amazing. I'm happy about all of these things that have come together for my son and he has to seize the moment," stated world-class trainer Kenny Porter, who talked about the upcoming showdown between his son, former world champion Shawn Porter, and undefeated welterweight champion Keith Thurman. Check it out!
PC: Mr. Porter, how is everything going out there in hot Las Vegas for Shawn?
KP: He's had an excellent camp and he's had an excellent year. I say that because people don't realize and understand that it's not just about what the guy is doing in the ring. It's also about how he lives outside of the ring. That's going to determine what kind of a career he's going to have. You can be tough, talented, quick, fast and strong, but if you ain't living right, all of those things are going to get away from you. Not only will those things get away from you, but in time, age does it to you. Shawn hasn't fought since he fought Adrien Broner, but in this whole entire year since he fought Adrien Broner, he hasn't fell off like the life he lives outside of the ring fall off. You understand what I'm saying?
PC: Absolutely. I follow you.
KP: He didn't pick up these bad habits. He don't hang out at the casinos gambling, he ain't chasing women, he don't drink or smoke. I don't have those type of situations going on, so again, he's had a great camp, but the kid is having a great year.
PC: From what you're saying, it sounds like you feel the in-between fight time is just as important as the fight preparation time.
KP: It is the most important. He's the most vulnerable after this fight. After Shawn fights, and our belief and my confidence is that he wins this fight, after he wins the fight, that's when he's the most vulnerable at that point. Everybody is coming after him, everybody wants a piece of him, everybody's telling him he's the best in the world, every girl loves him and he's got a pocket full of money. That's when he's his most vulnerable. So it's the after care and after the fights that is just as important as the camps. We are aware of that. I think I determined that about 5 fights into his professional career. We determined that right after these fights is where you have these problems where you start eating what you want to eat and drinking what you want to drink. Now he ain't one to let this get way out of control, but it is when he's most vulnerable to do it if he's going to do it.
PC: I think father-son combos are the hardest to maintain, especially on the father/trainer because you have to have his best interest during camp, in the corner, and so on, but you also have to be the voice and be stern and make sure things are going according to planned. It's a double-edge sword in many ways.
KP: Yeah, it's a double-edged sword and he might have explained it the best the other day when he was talking to an interviewer who asked, "How is it that father and son combinations don't work in boxing, but it works with you guys and you guys are able to be successful?" I'm going to kind of echo his sentiments on that one. He said, "I believe a big part of that is my dad is the straight shooter, keep it real non-stop guy that has high expectations of hard work and discipline and my dad doesn't drink and party and stuff like that. So he expects me to be the same way, but I'm the more quiet, laid back with a smile on my face, just happy to be a good person. So I don't do those things that he's against so he doesn't have to get after me about those things, so our personalities mesh!" He's the kind of person that turns it on when he gets in the ring. These are his words, so that's an extension of me. When he gets in that ring and he's trying to tear your head off, that's an extension of me. But outside of that, he's this really laid back, cool and nice person. When we are talking to the kids at the detention home...well, they ain't at risk, they are already in trouble. They locked up. But we talking to these kids and as I said to them, he's never caused me problems about school or his behavior or his grades. He's always done the things that he was supposed to do and what was expected of him and he did them naturally without anybody having to get on him about it. So I would echo his sentiments; we actually compliment each other in that respect. I'm the guy that don't want no bs and messing things up and doing this and that and, "You better not be drinking in my house." And he's the guy that, "You know what, I like it quiet and I don't like a whole bunch of people around me and a whole bunch of nonsense and I'm not into turning up and loud music." He goes downstairs and plays his video games and it's pretty loud because he's built out the theatre room with the system and speakers and sometimes he'll have the whole house shaking and I'm thinking to myself, "This dude down here playing these games," and then it's like, "That's all he's doing, it's okay." There's no complaints with that. So I agree with him, the personalities don't clash because we mesh as he said.
PC: You mentioned him having a great year. Your son is about to accomplish and be a part of history fighting Keith Thurman on CBS. Has that aspect sunk in to you and I'm sure you're a proud father?
KP: You know what, because I'm living it and he's my son...you have boys?
PC: I have a son, yessir.
KP: How old is he?
PC: He's 15.
KP: Okay, it's an expectation I have for him. I won't be caught up in the moment, and he said it in an interview that he won't be caught up in the moment. These are the things that I expected from him. I really would have expected him to go on to college and gotten a degree as well because he was such a great student. I will be disappointed if he doesn't go back to school and get some kind of degree because that's the kind of guy that he is. It's the right time. I am a firm believer that God does everything in his time, not our time. We can never look at the clock and say, "I want it done by this time." I'm very proud, I'm very happy, and it's great to be a part of something like that. I was a little boy when...I'll be 46 this year, don't print that (laughing).
PC: Man, I hope I look like you at 46. I gotta print that (laughing).
KP: Oh, okay (laughing). My first influence in boxing was Muhammad Ali, imitating him, talking like him and doing the shuffle out there in the neighborhood. I thought that you could go to the gym and do that stuff and you were a boxer. I found out, no, it don't work like that. My coach wouldn't let me get a pair of gloves for a month. You had to be in there for a month to get a pair of gloves. With all of that history with the man just passing away, and it's the first fight on CBS since him and Spinks fought there and it's crazy because we go to the same church as Leon Spinks. We've been going to the same church with Leon out here for 3 years. So it's amazing to be in this position and on that network and be the first fight since Leon Spinks and Muhammad Ali fought is amazing. I'm happy about all of these things that have come together for my son and he has to seize the moment.
BE SURE TO CHECK BACK FOR MUCH MORE WITH WORLD-CLASS TRAINER KENNY PORTER
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